The Matty Graves Novels

American sea adventures in the age of fighting sail.

U.S.S. United States, engraving after a drawing by Master William Brady, USN. From the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

The Matty Graves novels chronicle the adventures of a young officer during the early years of the U.S. Navy. The first three books take place in the Caribbean during the Quasi War, the undeclared naval conflict with France that hotted up in 1798 and petered out in 1801. There were a couple of significant frigate duels, but most of the action involved snatching up each other's merchantmen and suppressing privateers.

Which isn't to say it was dull. When you send out a bunch of young men with guns and swords and tell them to have at it, there's bound to be blood for breakfast some days.